MIR4 is the WORST New MMORPG Release of 2021

Welcome back to another episode of “Is it worth playing?” – a series dedicated to finding the best, and sometimes the worst MMORPGs on PC.
Today we’re taking a look at a brand new free-to-play open world Asian-fantasy MMORPG called MIR4. This just launched onto Steam on August 25th, 2021 and as of September 10th, is sitting at “Mixed” reviews.

Now I’m not overly critical of MMOs.. for the most part. I can enjoy action combat, I can enjoy tab-target combat, heck, I can find enjoyment in the combat styles that force you to click on the ground to move and THEN click an enemy – systems that don’t allow tab-cycling.
I like Anime MMOs, fully 3D, 2D, Eastern aesthetics, Western aesthetics.. but I want to preface this entire thing by stating: Everything you see in the dedicated video for this game is being recorded… while I’m writing the script for the video up.
Yes, I’m not even kidding. I was tabbed out of the game writing this up while the game is fully auto-playing for me. I just tab back into the game to complete my quests.

So, yes, if that statement didn’t make it obvious enough: MIR4 is completely auto-play.
The game features a large, open world. But while the world is open.. there’s absolutely nothing to do within it. There is no reason to explore it. There is no reason to engage any of the enemies within it.
I spent the entire time recording moving from point A to point B to point C without even paying attention where point A was or how to get to point C. Again, because of the auto-play and auto-pathing.
Auto-pathing to quest objectives isn’t inherently bad. Swords of Legends Online has it, Perfect World has it, Revelation Online has it. Some MMOs provide auto-pathing for whatever reason, and while I don’t often make use of it, it isn’t something that really detracts from the overall game.
Sure, it likely means there will be little to no purpose to navigating yourself, but as long as the bulk of the game requires active participation, that’s all that really matters to me.

Unfortunately that isn’t the case. You auto-route to the next quest objective – whether that’s an NPC or a monster. After making it to your objective, you begin talking to the NPC or auto-engaging enemies in combat.
You cycle through your abilities without having to pay attention to what ability does what or which combos with which. Sure, at endgame you might be required to pay some attention to the game. But endgame takes place once you successfully make it THROUGH the game.
Meaning you’re actively required to reach the end of the game. You’re physically required to sit through what is arguably one of the least interesting, least engaging, least interactive MMOs I’ve ever had to play.
And I’ve played MMOs like V4 and A3, which while not much better in terms of auto-play, at least required a semblance of one’s attention as to not die.

The combat in MIR4 is some of the most atrocious I’ve come across. Sure, the abilities look decent enough. Not nearly as impressive as other titles like PSO2 New Genesis, Swords of Legends Online or Elyon. But better than your average mobile MMO.
Which really isn’t saying much, or setting the bar very high. Character movement, especially with regards to combat felt very clunky. Movements weren’t nearly as fluid as other games released in the last year or two, especially when compared to PC titles.
Unfortunately since you weren’t actively required to engage with the game really in any capacity – you couldn’t dodge enemy attacks, you didn’t have to click your own abilities, the game consisted of auto-routing to your quest objective, proceeded by auto-attacking enemies. Again, entirely auto-play.

I’ll give MIR4 one thing: While the combat looked and felt very underwhelming, the environments you move through all looked pretty good. Well, for a cross-platform MMO anyway.
If I compare this to other mobile games I’ve played recently, like Punishing Gray Raven, or even Genshin Impact that launched last year – neither of which are MMOs, by the way, this looks so substantially inferior in every aspect.
Looks AND plays.

Honestly, I would’ve loved to have dedicated an extensive amount of time to this game. Truly. I love MMOs with an Asian aesthetic like this. Like Swords of Legends. Like Moonlight Blade.
But after playing through approximately 2 hours of the game, I just couldn’t bring myself to carry on any further. When I play a game – more specifically – when I play a PC or console game, I expect to be able to play it.
That is the exact opposite of what I was given the opportunity of doing in MIR4. This game was an absolutely garbage mobile game that was ported on over to PC – even retaining it’s terrible Mobile UI.
At least Genshin Impact has a UI exclusively for the platform it’s on – this, though? No. Not at all. No effort was put into this port. This is a cheap cash grab to milk money from the gullible PC playerbase.
Everything about this game screams “cheap.” If Swords of Legends Online sets the standard for an Eastern themed fantasy martial arts MMO, this would be the $2 knockoff version of it. The kind that would explode before you’re given the opportunity to even play it.

✔️ MIR4 is a decent looking game graphically. It has some pretty solid looking environments and character models.

✔️ It also has a pretty detailed character creator, providing you the ability to create a.. semi-unique looking character.

❎ But at the same time, while it has decent looking environments and character models, it’s plagued by a Mobile UI and Mobile textures.

❎ The combat is absolutely atrocious auto-combat, requiring absolutely no engagement or interaction from the player.

❎ The narrative is bloated and is actually more prevalent than actual gameplay.

❎ The world is 100% linear – it’s large, but there’s no purpose to navigating off auto-pathing due to the game being so empty and void of content.

❎ This game was built as a Mobile MMO first, meaning that mechanically.. it is first and foremost a mobile game. It can never compete with an MMO designed and developed for PC.

❎ There are so many mobile features built into the game.

❎ It utilizes an atrocious “combat power” system – something I abhor about the mobile gaming genre.

❎ The fact that you’re not required to play the game leaves you feeling uninterested and bored in everything going on. Again, I’m legitimately writing this up right now while recording gameplay in the background.

I think I could rant about this game all day. I don’t think I’ve been so disgusted by an MMO in a long time. This is an absolute waste of time to play – and I use the term “play” loosely here.
Heck, saying it’s a “waste of time” might be a redundant point, given you’re not really investing time into the game.
This is a Mobile MMORPG. Nothing about the game feels remotely like a PC MMO. The only reason this is even on PC is because the company publishing it wants more money, and players will always fall victim to new Steam releases, regardless of how bad they ultimately are.
I would urge you to avoid MIR4 at all costs. I was actually reached out to to take a sponsored look at this game – and I’m legitimately glad I chose not to. This is a game I have next to nothing good to say about.